Post 16 of 30: A Boy and His Dog

This picture shows a monument to Jackie Downing (1873-1878), the son of James M. Downing (1842-1932) and Ella L. Downing (1852-1933). It can be found in a cemetery in Hays, Kansas. My father was born and raised in Plainville, Kansas, some 25 miles from Hays. He told me the story of the little boy and his dog.

Now, my dad was born in 1921, so this story has some dust on it. But it seems that the little boy became ill with a disease and passed away. The boy's dog went to the grave every day, pining for his lost friend. Then, one day, he laid down at the grave site and died there. My dad said that the statue had been put in place long before he was born. And you can see from the weathering, that it has been there for years.

I'm sorry I don't have a better picture. But it's really quite something to see, and to think about . . .